I always have taken he back roads when pulling my 13 foot scamp. I want to start traveling with it more so tomorrow I'm forcing myself to drive interstates for a bike trail three hours away. Any helpful hints or encouragement would be appreciated.
Tue, 06/15/2021 - 12:11
#1
Highway helpful hints please
I like to keep to the right hand lane for a few reasons. I can see better down the left side. When holding 62 MPH for better mileage and control, other drivers can pass easily. If a steep hill causes a truck to slow down, I will probably also have trouble maintaining speed and will just follow the truck. Other drivers won't get annoyed with me.
At Highway speeds tongue weight becomes more critical and you want to be 100% sure you are at least close to 10% of the total trailer weight. also anything hanging off the rear bumper like bike rack or cargo box is not in your favor. Pretty much what you add to the bumper comes off the tongue. Sway and loss of control is very real. Also cross tying the bikes to the bumper can help with induced sway. With all that said we normally use highways and travel at posted limit until above 70MPH Double check your tire pressure and how old are the tires> much over 5 years and they seem to deteriorate and can fail. We sometimes travel with two bikes on the Yakama bumper hitch attached rack but compensate with some heavier gear moved to the front to offset the bikes. Also some do not recommend much water in the fresh tank as it sloshes and is 8 lb per gallon.
2019 Scamp 13 standard
Follow a truck that is going the speed you would like to travel. The low pressure area behind a truck will help pull you along. I tow my 13 footer with a 740 Volvo; only 115 horsepower. Alone, my fastest speed is 66mph. Behind a truck, I can go as fast as he goes. It also increases my gas millage by at least 25%.
I can't believe anyone would recommend "drafting" behind a truck. I will try to be polite. We have had people draft behind our truck and fifth wheel. We get rid of them as soon as possible. Our truck is overpowered to safely pull and STOP the trailer in an emergency situation. It sounds as if you feel your Volvo is underpowered to pull the Scamp. What if the unknown semi driver you are following can stop faster than you can? You are trusting someone you don't know to be a safe driver. What if he is falling asleep and slams into another vehicle that YOU can't even see because you are drafting? And driving over the recommended towing speed of most Scamp wheels and tires (around 65 mph) because you are drafting behind a semi is not safe either. I have logged around a million miles on highways over the past 20 years, both with and without a trailer. I have seen it all, and most accidents are preventable. The other tips offered by other posters offer good advice, this drafting suggestion is NOT.
Rhonda Riebow
Thank you Rhonda!! I'm a retired truckdriver, my last job which I retired from was hauling gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel. Hated people who drafted me. They never knew if I was empty or loaded. If I was empty, I could stop quicker than they realized. And if I was empty, I was hauling a tanker full of fumes!!! And if I were to blow a tire , you did not want to be right behind me!! That could take out your windshield. You don't know how many times I mouthed the words "Get the h#ll away from me"!!! Drivers were known to carry BBs and drop them out the window if someone was to close to them! Give the big rigs some room!!!
2006 Scamp 19
How close is too close? 50 yards???? The low pressure area is there, and is a safe distance. Weather and road conditions are important as well. And never follow anyone that takes up two lanes and the berm while driving. I wouldn't draft like NASCAR. Use common sense.
no cruise control, turn off overdrive, no water in the scamp, load the weight inside on the front bunks so it's over the tongue so you don't fishtail. go 60-65 mph.
1987 Scamp 16
Interesting and well regarded thought to turn off OD when possible. Usually trucks have this option. Most if not all cars today have several ranges of OD and not a normal method of disabling. With My 6spd manual Crosstrek I went to using 5th gear from 6th and things were so much better and much better mileage and ability to climb minor inclines. On the subaru 4th gear was nearly 1-1 ratio which (was High gear back in the day ) and 5th and 6th were both levels of overdrive for normal light vehicle operation. . I am just starting on this same experiment on a New 2021 OutBack Onyx XT . Pulls our 13 easily but never settles down in a usable/happy gear range, unless placed in Manual operation. it is always going up and down some looking for a happy spot. . Mileage suffers that way too. Lots to learn on this new combination.
2019 Scamp 13 standard
Traveling with a Scamp should be about seeing the landscape outside of the cities, and knowing where to go when inside the cities. Any effective drafting behind a truck would pretty much make you drive blind. Not a good idea. The right lane on a highway is the right one to use. Middle lane if there are three, so you do not have to worry about merging traffic. Also it is good to remember that the white trailer makes you more noticeable to other drivers. That is one of the positive aspects.
-Paul
2004 Scamp 19 Deluxe,
2021 Tacoma, Double Cab, 6 cyl. 4WD
Colorado
The scamp pulled beautiful on the highway and the only time I became anxious was in construction zones where lanes narrowed and zigzag!